R Madhavan recently spoke about his son, Vedaant Madhavan, one of India’s most promising competitive swimmers, who dreams of winning an Olympic medal for the country. Madhavan opened up about giving his son a disciplined upbringing and ensuring that he understood the privilege he was born into.
‘He should know that he is privileged’
In a conversation with Radhika Gupta on the YouTube channel 100 Year Life Project by ACKO, Madhavan said, “One of the most important skills a child should have is the attitude of gratitude. Although we came from a very middle-class background, I was able to afford everything Vedant wanted because of the kind of success God bestowed upon me. But I also realised that came with its own set of challenges. I realised there were two things I needed to teach Vedant. One was the attitude of gratitude. It’s very important for children to know that they are privileged because somebody else has worked their backside off to give them this lifestyle.”
‘Would tell him the salary of my cook’
Talking about how he kept Vedaant grounded, Madhavan said, “Sometimes I would tell him the salary of my cook and say, ‘Do you know what this toy you’ve been gifted costs? This man would have to work an entire year, living in that kitchen, to afford even a part of it.’ That struck Vedant a lot. The second thing I made sure Vedant did was acknowledge everyone—the liftman, the guard, the drivers, the ayahs. I told him not to address them casually but respectfully, as didis and bhaiyas. It’s not just about good manners. It’s about situational awareness. I wanted my child to be aware of where he is, who he’s dealing with, and to greet people who may not have as much money.”
About Vedaant Madhavan
Vedaant Madhavan is a freestyle swimmer and one of India’s brightest young swimming talents. He is a five-time gold medallist at the Malaysian Open, a gold and silver medallist at the Danish Open, as well as a bronze medallist at the Latvian Open and Thailand Open. Vedaant also finished fifth at the Commonwealth Youth Games.Madhavan has repeatedly spoken about his son’s aim to represent India at the Olympics.
R Madhavan’s films
R Madhavan was last seen in Dhurandhar. The actor received widespread praise for his portrayal of Ajay Sanyal, the Director of the Intelligence Bureau. He has GDN, Adhirshtasaali, and Circle in the pipeline.